A Morris dancer from The Deepings has raised more than £1,400 for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice by completing a heartfelt 10K walk in memory of his late mother.
Peter Gale, 51, was among several dedicated supporters who embarked on their own version of the charity’s Starlight Hike after the official Sue Ryder flagship event was cancelled due to dangerously high winds forecast as part of Storm Amy.
Determined to honour his mum’s memory, Peter donned a vibrant ‘tatter coat’ – a traditional Morris dancing garment – lovingly stitched together from scraps of her sewing materials.
Joined by his wife and close friends, Peter completed the 10km route around his local village, turning the walk into a moving celebration of his mum’s life.
“Mum had just retired and was excited to dedicate more time to her passion for sewing,” Peter shared. “She had plans to make small items to sell in support of Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. But just weeks after her 70th birthday, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer – it was completely out of the blue.”
With time suddenly precious, Peter and his mum made a pact to cherish every moment together. One of those moments was spent creating the tatter coat, with Peter cutting and stitching under her watchful eye.
“I wore the coat during visits to the hospice so she could see my handiwork,” he said. “I once went to visit her dressed up in a traditional tree costume, to bring a smile to Mum’s face.
“When the chance came to raise funds for the hospice that cared for her so well, it felt only right to walk in her honour wearing the coat we made together.”
“The Sue Ryder staff made Mum’s final months as comfortable and dignified as possible. This walk was my way of saying thank you.”
He added with a smile, “Now, whenever I dance, I know she’s there – probably checking I’ve taken all the pins out!”
Peter’s efforts are part of a wider wave of support from the community, with individuals taking part in their own Starlight Hikes raising over £30,000 for the charity, despite extreme weather forcing the cancellation of the much-loved annual event for the second year running.
Annette Mawby, Community Fundraiser at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice said: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to Peter and his friends for their fantastic fundraising efforts.
“The kindness and generosity shown by the community following the disappointing cancellation of our Sue Ryder Starlight Hike Peterborough event has been astonishing – the support means so much to us.”
To find out more about Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, visit: www.sueryder.org/thorpehall
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